Grooving tool



Dec. 6, 1932. A. J. GERMAN 1,890,052

GROOVING TOOL Filed June 4,, 193,6

amoemtoz Wamf Patented Dec. 6, 1932 STATES ABRAHAM J. GERMAN, 01*

WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WATERBUBY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT GROOVING TOOL Application filed June 4, 1930. Serial No. 459,141.

This invention relates to grooving tools.

In an application iiled of even date herewith, Serial No. 459,144), I have described a method of anchoring tubes in tube sheets which comprises forming a series or" parallel grooves in the tube sheet hole and expanding the tube against this grooved surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for forming parallel grooves in the wall of a hole and one particularly adaptable to carrying out the invention described in said application.

With these general objects in view the invention consists in the features, combina tions, details of construction and arrangements oi: parts which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawing and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a tool constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken 011 the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view (enlarged) of the grooved hole; and

Figure l is an end view of the tool.

Referring to the drawing, the grooving tool shown as an example has a tubular body portion 11, split along a plurality of lines 12 to be expansible. The forward end of the body portion is of reduced diameter and is provided with a plurality of longitudinal ribs 13. These ribs are provided with parallel teeth 14 similar to thread-tapping teeth eX- cept that they are at right angles to the axis of rotation, i. e., have no lead.

lVithin the body is a spreader 15 having a conical forward end 16, the forward end of the split body portion having a conical interior formation to receive the end of the spreader. Near its rear end, the spreader has a threaded portion 17 in threaded engagement with an internal thread 18 in the body portion. The spreader extends rearwardly beyond the body portion and terminates in a squared end 19 for receiving a suitable rotating tool (not shown). The rear end of the body portion terminates in a squared end 20 for receiving a suitable rotating tool (not shown).

Embracing the body portion is a housing 21 having an inturned flange 22 which serves as a positioning shoulder. The spreader has a stop collar 23 arranged to prevent excessive advance of the spreader by engaging the end of the body portion.

l Vith the spreader withdrawn so that the body portion is in normal collapsed condition, the tooth end of the tool is inserted in the hole to be grooved, e. g., a tube hole in the tube sheet 24 of a condenser, boiler, heat eX- changer, or the like. The body being held from turning, the spreader is turned to advance cone 16. The resulting Wedge action expands the split end of the tool until the teeth take hold of the metal of the tube-hole wall. Then the body portion is rotated to cause the teeth 1 1 of the tool to cut parallel grooves 25 in the wall of the hole. As the cutting action eases up the spreader is further rotated to give such additional expansion of the tool as may be necessary.

Upon reversal of the spreader the end of the tool collapses under the inherent resiliency of the metal and the tool may be withdrawn.

In the embodiment illustrated the teeth crests are flattened or blunted, thus giving shallow, fiat-bottomed grooves (Fig. 3). In carrying out the invention to what is new considered the best advantage, the root diameter of the tool is less than the diameter of the hole to be threaded when the tool is fully expanded. As a result, the teeth do not penetrate the material grooved to their full depth and operation without injury from chips is 7 possible.

)Vhat is claimed is A tube sheet tool for producing parallel grooves in a tube sheet hole comprising, in

combination, a tubular body having one end a substantially cylindrical reduced portion and split to be expansible throughout and substantially inwardly of said reducedportion, cutting teeth on the reduced portion,

said cutting teeth being at right angles to the axis of said tubular body portion, the

interior of the split end of the body being cone-shaped, a spreader rod threaded Within 10 the body portion and having a conical end engaging the cone shaped interior of the split end the threads advancing the spreaderon rotation thereof to force the conical end into the cone-shaped end of the body portion,

' 15 thereby to expand the latter and a collar on said spreader for engaging the tubular body to limit advance of the spreader therein, and

thereby limit the amount of expansion. I In testimony whereof, I have hereunto setv 20 my hand. 7 V

ABRAHAM J.

all; 

